fourseasonswitch

[fourseasonswitch]

Happy Mabon!

[fourseasonswitch]

I’m so frustrated with my book of shadows. It started as a nice ass bound notebook. I quickly ran out of pages. Now it’s just pages in a giant purple binder with tabs to separate different sections. But I hate it. I feel like each section should be it’s own notebook or it’s own notebook. 😩

Tell me how yours is going.

[fourseasonswitch]

Who is vegan?

I’ve been going off and on talking about possibly going vegan for months now, and I just haven’t for whatever reasons. I don’t have many friends in my social class/immediate circle that are actually vegan. The people That I know are vegan are well off with adult children.

Here’s some reasons I want to go vegan.

• Health. I know a plant based diet is healthier. I’m overweight as fuck. Despite counting calories and working out every single day, I gained 3 pounds from August 1st to September 1st. (This may be inaccurate as I weighed myself on September 1st, 1 day before my period.) Also, I’m tired a lot. I deal with anxiety and depression. I’m stressed all the time. I think a plant based diet can help with these issues.

• Animals. I love animals. I don’t allow myself to think of how they’re kept, or how they’re slaughtered much. The conditions animals are kept in are deplorable. It’s cruel and inhumane. Animals have been known to respond emotionally upon watching their mates be slaughtered in slaughter houses. It’s heart breaking.

Those are basically my only reasons to go vegan. Mostly for health though.

Now here’s some of my concerns:

• Cost. How cost effective is it to go vegan? I don’t eat much processed food, but a box of processed crap food is cheaper than a not great cut of beef. We live paycheck to paycheck, and we struggle with money. I can’t switch to a vegan diet if it’s going to cost more.

• What do with kids? I have a 6 year old that lives on steak, chicken, and Mac n cheese. He likes minimal veggies. He loves yogurt and snacks. Do I let him stay on a non-vegan diet?

• Dairy. My husband is super on board with going vegan, his only thing is cheese and other dairy products. We talked about maybe taking baby steps instead of going head first. Maybe start with being vegetarian? How does this work?

• Fake meat. I wonder about the vegan meat products and vegan dairy products. Are they not full of chemicals? That can’t be good for you. On the contrary, most actual meat products are full of unnatural hormones and shit. So. Is the fake meat much worse than that?

I’m looking to talk to an -actual- vegan, that isn’t going to come at me or lecture me about my meat eating habits. I want to talk to a real person, that isnt super rich and shit. Help me find someone!

[fourseasonswitch]

I have 22 followers.

Why does this freak me out lmao like 22 is probably not a huge number but it is to me

Hello followers!

I dunno about you, but I’m feeling 22.......

[fourseasonswitch]

Anyone done with Midnight Sun yet? I’m about halfway through. I read all the Twilight books after they were all out, but before the movies were done. I talked so much shit on them, and still do, but I read them.

Reading Midnight Sun has been weird. I think Stephanie should have read Twlight before writing it.

Also, it made me want to watch all the movies. So I watched the first and second recently. In the first one, we see the toxicity of Edward Cullen. But his toxicity is nothing compared to the toxicity of Jacob. Why all the toxic masculinity in different forms?

I also asked my husband why he doesn’t love me like Edward loves Bella. His response was “Because it’s not healthy lol”

[fourseasonswitch]

I binged the entirety of Lore Olympus, and I NEED more.

Fuuuuuuuck. This waiting week by week is going to kill me.

[fourseasonswitch]

Drying some herbs ❤️

[fourseasonswitch]

@my party splitting players.

Assholes.

[fourseasonswitch]

The Dark Side of Algorithms

Feeling Connected

Social media can help us all feel connected in a lot of ways. The algorithm social media websites use makes sure we connect to people with similar beliefs and interests as ourselves. It’s impossible to not find like minded people on social media. You can read more about that here: https://fourseasonswitch.tumblr.com/post/624992939928600577/how-does-social-media-know-me-so-well

The Dark Side 

Despite how great and helpful the algorithm can be, it also has a dark side. The algorithm social media websites use put people in a bubble of sameness. Your personal views and ideas are so reinforced from being surrounded online by people that have the same views and beliefs, that you start to think the majority of people think this way, and therefore it must be fact rather than a belief or an opinion. Seeing something that doesn’t fit in this bubble causes feelings of anger and fear - something the algorithm does on purpose to keep you engaged and tap into negative, primal emotions. The algorithm even effects your behavior. By keeping you in a bubble of sameness and similarity, you become hardened in your views and less open-minded, which can lead to more extreme in-group behavior. Most people don’t realize that finding so many like minded people in the real world is not as possible as it is online. 

Don’t Be Trapped In A Bubble

The best way to combat the bubble effect is to constantly fact check! Fact checking is important because we live in a time where anything can be posted online. People make memes with words, and pretend it’s truth. And other people believe it. It’s perfectly legal to post anything, no matter how untrue it is, online. If you aren’t fact checking, you most likely have gotten angry over something that wasn’t even true. It’s also important because it’s possible to misrepresent information. It’s possible to take 3 seconds of a 9 minute video, and have that 3 second clip so out of context that it’s implying or saying something the video wasn’t saying at all, but people will believe that 3 second clip instead of searching for the entire 9 minute video. It’s also important to keep an open mind, research, and discuss instead of argue. 

Sources:

Bessi, A., Zollo, F., Del Vicario, M., Puliga, M., Scala, A., Caldarelli, G., … Quattrociocchi, W. (2016). Users polarization on Facebook and YouTube. PLOS ONE, 11(8), e0159641. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159641

Erix. (2017, June 6). Social media: Algorithm influenced behavior. Retrieved from https://onegreenspider.com/social-media-algorithm-influence/

Lilly, D. (2018, October 28). Social media’s algorithms lead us down dark, divisive rabbit holes. Retrieved from https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/social-medias-algorithms-lead-us-down-dark-divisive-rabbit-holes/

What is fact checking and why is it important? (2020, April 30). Retrieved from https://factcheckni.org/explainers/what-is-fact-checking-and-why-is-it-important/

[fourseasonswitch]

Made pesto and a bastardized version of caprese chicken!

[fourseasonswitch]

Do spells usually work ?

Hi! Yes! They do! With spell work, intent is everything. Energy, too. If I’m stressed out, sick, angry, frustrated, etc. I don’t normally do spell work. I will meditate or pray or do offerings at those times. I have participated in group spells, local and world wide, and have seen results. I’ve seen results from spells I did for other people, and I’ve seen results from spells I walked other people through. I’ve seen results from spells I do personally. Confidence is key here, too. You have to be confident in yourself and your work.

If you have further questions I’m always around.

[fourseasonswitch]

Rosemary bread with some herby bread oil.

[fourseasonswitch]

Made some fire cider yesterday! Fire cider is good for preventative care and active care. You can take it during the peak of cold and flu season to prevent them, or take it when you start to feel symptoms of a cold or flu. There’s a ton of variations of how to make fire cider and what to put in it.

Here’s what I put in my fire cider:

10 garlic cloves, crushed.

Half an onion, roughly chopped.

2 small horse radish, sliced.

Ginger, sliced.

3-4 star anise.

Turmeric powder.

Cayenne pepper powder.

Jalapeño or other spicy pepper, chopped.

Cinnamon stick.

Fill jar with apple cider vinegar with the mother in it.

Let it sit in a dark cabinet for at least 3 weeks, shaking it daily.

Strain into clean jar.

I like to add honey, here.

Take like a teaspoon or so daily for preventative. Or maybe a tablespoon. Up to you. If you start getting symptoms take a little more. You can mix it in tea or water to make it easier to take.

[fourseasonswitch]

Decorated my home for fall yesterday and made some yummy snacks for Lammas ❤️

[fourseasonswitch]

Happy Lammas! Here’s some pics of our altars in the house and offerings from yesterday :)

(Don’t come at me with some shit about how bad it is to show off altars. It’s fine lol. I’m not here for the toxic side of tumblr.)

[fourseasonswitch]

How Does Social Media Know Me So Well?

Why is social media so desirable 

Social media has captured the attention of just about everyone. But what makes social media so interesting? Social media allows us to connect and network with people all over the world. Most platforms are user friendly and interactive. We can do things on social media that we can’t do anywhere else - like find your best friend from first grade that you haven't spoken to in 20 years. It also involves brain chemicals. Oxytocin is known as the cuddle chemical of the brain. It lowers stress, and induces feelings of love, trust, and empathy. Studies have found that just 10 minutes spent on social media can create a 13% rise in oxytocin levels. Dopamine, a brain chemical that causes us to want and seek is also involved. Dopamine is stimulated by small bits of information and reward cues. Notifications on social media is the perfect stimulant. We receive a notification and we want to know what for immediately. 

Homophily and Social Media 

Homophily is the tendency for people to seek out those who are similar to themselves. In other words, birds of a feather flock together. Homophily refers to the sense of belonging, or feeling connected with others that like the things you like. Social media uses homophily in the algorithm to allow users to connect with other users that like the same things. In 2009 a study found that online roleplayers mostly interacted with other players of the same age and same play type. Facebook shows users groups dedicated to things they may be interested in. The benefits of this is connection. You can easily find someone that is interested in the same thing you are, and really connect with them. It helps people not feel so alone. 

Platform Algorithms 

Social media algorithms are a way of sorting posts in a users' feed based on relevancy. It’s a way to make sure users see content relevant to them. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram want sot make sure users receive content they care about. The algorithm is dependent on several things such as how often you’ve interacted with a certain type of post, how often you have hidden a certain type of post, or the level of engagement you’ve had with a certain type of post. The algorithm helps users find products, businesses, and people that flock the same way they do. 

References: 

Agrawal, A. (2016, April 21). What do social media algorithms mean for you? Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajagrawal/2016/04/20/what-do-social-media-algorithms-mean-for-you/#5a0e7f5fa515

FutureLearn. (n.d.). Homophily in social networks - The power of social media. Retrieved from https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/social-media/0/steps/16055

McMahon, C. (2015). Why Do We Like Social Media. The British Psychological Society, 28, 724-729. Retrieved from https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-28/september-2015/why-do-we-social-media

Seiter, C. (2016, August 10). The Psychology Of Social Media: Why We Like, Comment, and Share Online. Retrieved from https://buffer.com/resources/psychology-of-social-media/

[fourseasonswitch]

This is wonderful!

Don’t forget to incorporate games! We like to enjoy and celebrate the first harvest with lots of baking, and games! Lugh is a god of many skills, so we compete in games of skill. This can include coin tossing games similar to horse shoes, archery, a poetry writing contest, etc. It’s always a lot of fun!

lammas

- 🥖🌾🌻🍂✨

lammas, or lughnasadh, is the first of our three annual harvests and is celebrated on august 1st; this holiday is centered around giving thanks for and reflecting on the abundance’s and opportunities given to us this year. this sabbat marks the time period in which we‘ll now begin to notice the whispers of autumn creeping in, though still plenty warm, the sun will soon set earlier and earlier and we may even notice just a few, small yellow leaves brushing by in the breeze~

[ recipes ]

• heart-warming potato soup

• vegetarian mushroom ravioli

• cheddar garlic biscuits

• gooey s’mores bars

[ activities ]

• making corn husk dolls

• lots of baking! drown the house in bread

• tend to plant life and make sure it’s strong & ready for the seasons coming

• picnics (wear sunscreen! bring/plan for shade! social distance!)

• camping (heavy shade is a must, be safe in the heat!)

• foraging

• good deep sweep of the house/your space

• deep dusting while you’re at it

[ spellwork ]

• protection & warding

• healing & restoration

• growth & prosperity

• gratuity & offerings

• reflection & planning

• intention setting & manifestation

[ crystals ]

• honey calcite

• howlite

• tigers eye

• peridot

• citrine

• pyrite

• clear quartz

• moss agate

• smokey quartz

• black tourmaline

• clear fluorite

• green aventurine

• sunstone

• hematite

[ herbs ]

• basil

• hops

• cinnamon

• valerian

• cayenne pepper

• bay laurel

• rosemary

• garlic

• thyme

• ginger

[ colours ]

• orange

• yellow

• white

• gold

• brown

• tans/beige

• richer greens

[ grains ]

• wheat

• rye

• wild rice

• brown rice

• oats

• grits

[ veggies ]

• sweet potato

• normal potatoes but especially russet, yukon golds, red potatoes, and those tricolour minis

• corn & sweet corns

• carrots

• any squash (summer, zucchini, pumpkin, etc)

• wild mushrooms (be f*cking.. oh my gods be f*cking careful here- just use these as offerings or in spells, please don’t even think about eating wild mushrooms unless you could consider yourself an expert on foraging and have done plenty of thorough research)

• earthy deep coloured mushrooms (the edible kinds; portobello, baby bella/cremini, shiitake)

• eggplant

• green peas

• spinach/rich greens

[ fruits ]

• grapes

• black currant

• raspberries

• apples

• lemon

• apricot

• elderberry

• fig

• peaches

• blackberries

• blueberries

• watermelon/other melons

• banana

[ nuts ]

• almond

• walnut

• pistachio

[ vegan & omnivore proteins ]

• tofu

• edamame

• turkey/‘turkey’

• chicken/‘chicken’

• salmon, mackerel

• scallops

• crab/imitation crab (snow, king crabs) **(imitation crab isn’t vegetarian/vegan, it’s just ground whitefish instead of crab meat, if you didn’t already know)

• mussels

[ cheeses ]

• white & sharp cheddars

• bleu cheese

• goat cheese

• feta

• marinated cheeses

• gouda

[ drinks ]

• tart, dry, medium bodied berry wines

• airy, crisp white whines

• light-medium brew beers, dryer and not too heavy bodied/bitter (samuel adams boston lager is perfect for lammas in my opinion if you wanna feel like you know what’s up or you’re just looking to try out new drinks, & miller/bud lite is also A1 if you’re a cheap date like me)

• any sort of spiked or nonspiked apple beverage (yes even just plain apple juice)

• ginger beer

• iced teas/coffee/matcha

• americanos/cold brew

[ decoration ]

• scythe

• corn husks

• dried sunflowers

• grain stalks

• iron

• cast iron

[ flowers ]

• sunflowers

• chamomile

• calendula

• marigolds

• yellow roses

-

this, whew, is just about everything i’d like to have on here i think. i’ll be adding recipes as the season goes on probablyyy, and i might add in more specific little notes like i did with the beer and stuff if i find anything else like that along the way, feel free to leave any questions or feedback, hope this was helpful!! wishing you all abundant health this harvest~